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The availability of the raw materials needed to produce fibre is decreasing as demand for fibre increases over time. In an effort, to preserve natural biodiversity and improve waste management, this research aims to substitute available raw materials for wood fibres. Empty fruit bunch (EFB) is regarded as waste in the oil palm industry and is abundantly available as a renewable energy source, particularly in Southeast Asian countries. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the utilisation of EFB as a substitute for insulating paper in transformers. The morphology, degree of polymerization, tensile strength, thermal characteristics, permittivity, conductivity, and electrical properties (breakdown field strength and lightning impulse performance) of EFB were measured and compared to the properties of Kraft insulating paper. Using FESEM at a magnification of $500\times $ , the morphological properties were examined. Based on FTIR measurement, the chemical bonding between Kraft and EFB samples varied slightly. Compared to EFB, Kraft-pulped insulating paper has a higher degree of polymerization and the ability to endure high temperatures. Furthermore, the breakdown field strength performance demonstrates that Kraft insulating paper is 20.30% higher than EFB insulating paper. In terms of tensile strength and lightning impulse, EFB insulating paper demonstrated comparable performance to conventional insulating paper. A new approach to the manufacturing of EFB insulating paper could result in improvements to the material’s insulation qualities.

Introduction: Technology has completely transformed communication and the way people interact with each other. The development of smartphones may provide some insight into this. Despite being user-friendly, smartphones can be harmful to a user's health if they are used compulsively. Family members who have easy access to smartphones may develop smartphone addiction (SA), which could harm their social interactions. The objective is to Identify the effects of using smartphones on social interaction among families. And find out the association between smartphone addiction and family interaction. Methods: The study was ascertained the impact of smartphone addiction on social interaction between families in Baghdad. Using a quantitative approach, the study's pertinent data were collected, a non-probability (purposive) sample of 484 smartphone-using family members, whose ages vary from 11 to 55. A questionnaire met the objectives of the study. Information about demographics is covered in Part I. For Part II: Adopted Scale addresses smartphone addiction Part III serves as a gauge for Mattick and Clarke's family members' social interaction anxiety. Results: show that 47.7% of the study sample have a moderate smartphone addiction, and 61% of them have anxiety about social interaction. Then, there is a relationship between smartphone addiction and anxiety about social interaction in (0.00 p-value). Conclusion: most of the family members experienced moderate smartphone addiction and anxiety about social interactions. To avoid potential problems, it is crucial to keep an eye on the social interaction of family members

Transformer oil does not only serve as an insulating liquid, but also in removing heat from the windings and cores. Mineral oil (MO) has been widely used in transformers for more than 150 years. Recently, researchers have attempted to search for alternative insulating oils due to the possibility that MO will run out in the future together with the concern on fire safety and environmental pollution. Among the potential oils is rice bran oil (RBO). This work presents the studies of the lightning impulse (LI) of RBO behavior under various electric fields, gap distances and testing methods. The electrical performances of LI tests show that RBO and Palm Oil (PO) have lower LI breakdown voltage than MO under both uniform and non-uniform electric fields. However, the difference in LI breakdown voltages between RBO, PO and MO are slightly small which is less than 20%. In addition, there is no significant effect in the various testing methods under both uniform field and non-uniform field where the percentages of difference are less than 12% and 8% respectively. The data of LI breakdown voltage were statistically analysed to predict the withstand voltage and 50% breakdown voltage of oil samples by using Weibull distribution. The Weibull distribution of MO, PO and RBO has well fit with the fitting line. Finally, the relationship between LI voltages under a non-uniform field with various parameters of PO and RBO was obtained and proposed. From this work, it can be concluded that RBO shows promising results to be considered as an alternative to MO in transformer applications.

A hydrothermal precipitation technique was used to synthesize TiO2 oxide nanoparticles doped with Bi/Ni ions. X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflection spectroscopy, and ac-dielectric measurements were used to investigate the mechanical, optical, and dielectric properties of the synthesized NPs powder. Using Bi/Ni ionic codoping, TiO2 NCs were constructed as core/shell nanostructures. A key contribution of this work was the creation of colossal permittivity (CP). Thus, the dielectric measurements show CP of magnitude ~ 5 × 106 at room temperature and frequency of 1 kHz that was reduced to 2.7 × 105 by the hydrogenation of the sample, which are much more than that of pristine TiO2. Within the framework of the core/shell model and doping mechanisms, CP was explained in detail. Additionally, hydrogenation was explained as a reduction in CP by increasing itinerant electron concentrations as a result of the strong catalyst power of dopant Ni2+ ions dissociating adsorbed hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mixture of Fe2O3 and SnO oxides has been mechanically milled to form SnFe2O4 spinel phase. X-ray diffraction pattern of the milled mixture shows that after milling, both peaks of Fe2O3 and SnO remain with a drastic decrease of their intensities and broadening. The appearance of a broad halo around 2θ ~ 31° indicates the formation of an amorphous phase. After annealing at 750°C for 1 h, SnO peaks disappear completely and new diffraction peaks emerge indicating the formation of a new nanophase i.e. SnO2. Magnetic measurements of the as-milled mixture show a ferromagnetic behavior with saturation magnetization Ms = 6.8 emu/g which drastically decreases after annealing to 0.6 emu/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical alloying of a mixture of Fe2O3 and Y2O3 was used in order to produce a single nanocrystalline YFe2O4 phase. After milling the diffraction characteristic peaks become broader and their relative intensity is reduced due to the particles size reduction and accumulation of microstrains. Diffraction peaks related to Y2O3 phase disappeared. After annealing at 1200°C, new peaks appeared and identified as Y3Fe5O12 phase. Magnetic properties measurements reveal that after annealing, saturation magnetization increased dramatically compared to as milled powders. Moreover, the Y3Fe5O12 shows a superferromagnetic behavior, with Ms ≈ 22 emu/g, Hc ≈ 14.5 Oe, Mr ≈ 1.56 emu/g and a crystallites size around 151 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]